Tough Guys Have a Heart, Too
by ErinM
Summary: The Guardian: Jack Skinner isn't such a tough guy. *the final day of class, before graduation.
1. Tough Guys Have a Heart, Too

**Title**: Tough Guys Have a Heart, Too  
**Author**: Erin (erinm_)  
**Characters, Pairing**: Jack Skinner and two OCs (mention of Hodge and Randall)  
**Rating**: PG  
**Summary**: Jack Skinner isn't such a tough guy.  
**Warning**: the final day of class, before graduation. *Written for Round 4 of **prompt_in_a_box** on LiveJournal. Prompt #4: "**Pain has an element of blank; it cannot recollect when it began, or if there were a day when it was not.**" (Emily Dickinson)  
**Disclaimer**: The original characters belong to Touchstone and Beacon and Disney, as well as their respective actors. The OCs are mine.

Jack Skinner hurried down along the roads of the base; normally he would have his car, but he'd decided to run to work that morning, so his car was currently sitting in his driveway. He should have gone straight to the base hospital after class, but he instead went about his day, filing status reports for each of the remaining coasties.

When the headache became unbearable, Jack made the decision to go to the base hospital. He knew nothing was broken, but since he was technically injured while on duty, an official report would have to be made.

While the doctor suggested he take a day, Jack didn't feel like arguing with the man. As Class 5506 was officially done with training, the next day was theirs. Jack would only be sitting at his desk, reading reports and preparing for the graduation ceremony at the end of the week.

He turned the corner and sighed as his house came into view. As he moved up the walk, Jack noticed that the lawn was due for a mowing. Good thing he was under doctor's orders to spend a day at home. Jack smiled as he dug into his pockets for his keys and opened the front door.

He could see the lights were on in the kitchen, but still found himself looking around the corner into the dark living room. As he reached the end of the hallway, Jack spotted his wife standing near the stove, book open on the counter in front of her. As he neared, she straightened and twisted slightly, making him wonder if the knot was back. She'd been having a terrible time the last two months, and they both knew it was all stress.

Jack reached out and placed a hand on her back, causing her to spin around with a raised hand. Luckily, his reactions were spot on, because the moment he realized she had no idea he was standing behind her, his other hand went up to block her.

"Oh my God, Jack," she breathed and dropped her chin to her chest, taking a deep breath. He smiled and put his arms around her and she leaned into him. "You almost got hit in the face," she said leaning back. She blinked a moment later and he couldn't help but laugh as her face fell. "Oh my God, you got hit in the face," she said, reaching up to rest her hand on his cheek.

Jack breathed a smile and moved his hand up to cover hers. "I'm fine." Her eyes narrowed and she frowned, leaning back slightly.

"Oh, you didn't..." she said with a shake of her head. She knew the moment he told her about the confrontation with Randall that one of them was going to hit the other. It was only a matter of time. Jack sighed and shook his head.

"No, Deb. I didn't." He wanted to hit Ben Randall, more than once. But, regardless of rank, Jack wouldn't hit first. Well... he might. Jack winced as she ran a hand over his bottom lip and tried not to smile. "It was Hodge."

Debra Skinner leaned back and cocked an eyebrow. "Billy the-kid's-never-gonna-make-it-if-he-doesn't-step-up-and-take-some-inititave Hodge?" she asked, surprised. Jack looked away but still smiled. "Hmmm," she said with a smirk. "Well, go Hodge." Jack frowned and looked down to her.

"I get clocked, in the line of duty... by a student... and you're takin' _his_ side?" Jack was hurt. Honestly.

Deb glared at him and moved her hand down to his waist and grabbed his side, causing him to jump and shift. "You tortured that boy, Jack. Good for him," she said with a nod. Jack frowned again and Deb shook her head with a laugh. She pushed up on her toes and gave him a kiss.

Jack made a noise – because it actually hurt – and she laughed again. "It's not funny," he said rather morosely. "I'm in pain here." Deb shook her head and pulled away.

"You're a big baby," she said with a nod. Jack grumbled and decided the pain was worth it, and leaned in for another kiss.

"Speaking of 'baby,'" he said a moment later. "How's Maddy?" Deb sighed heavily and didn't meet his eye. Jack huffed slightly and felt his jaw lock. "It's not asthma, is it?" Deb closed her eyes and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest. Jack's eyes closed and he let out a deep breath as his arms tightened around his wife.

"Graduation's on Friday," he said, bending down to catch her eye. "I'm takin' some time off-"

"You say that after every class," Deb said with laugh. Jack caught her chin with his thumb and leaned forward again to rest his forehead against hers.

"I put in the request two weeks ago. It was approved the other day," he said with a smile. Deb smiled and hugged him tightly. That was the best news she'd had all day. They stood there for about a minute before Deb pulled back.

She nodded toward the hallway and turned away from Jack. "She'll be rather happy to see you."

Jack hand a hand over his bruised lip. "I don't wanna scare her," he said with a grumble. Deb snorted, which made Jack smile.

"You can't scare that girl, Jack. You're **Dad**." Jack smiled again and rested his hand on Deb's shoulder, giving her neck a slight squeeze. "I'll make you some dinner."

"I'm good," he said, shaking his head. He pressed a kiss into Deb's hair and pulled away. As he neared the doorway, Jack turned and leaned against the frame. "Any plans tomorrow?" Deb glanced at the ceiling for a moment then shook her head.

"Hoo-rah," Jack said with a sigh and nodded to her before turning again and disappearing around the corner.

Ten minutes later, Deb stopped in the doorway of her daughter's bedroom and smiled at the sight of Jack and Maddy, both asleep in a sea of pink frills, surrounded by stuffed animals.


	2. Tough Guys Have a Heart, Two

**Title**: Tough Guys Have a Heart, Two  
**Author**: Erin (erinm_)  
**Characters, Pairing**: Jack, Deb and Maddy  
**Rating**: G  
**Summary**: Breakfast in the Skinner household.  
**Warning**: The morning after _Tough Guys_.  
**Disclaimer**: The original characters belong to Touchstone and Beacon and Disney, as well as their respective actors. The OCs are mine.

It was nearly midnight when Jack woke up and it took him a good ten seconds to think about where he was. He made sure Maddy was fully tucked in and properly kissed goodnight before he headed across the hall to his own bedroom. He quickly changed into shorts and a tee-shirt and popped into the bathroom to brush his teeth before climbing into bed with Deb.

The next morning, Jack woke to find the sun up and Deb gone. He frowned that he'd overslept and was halfway to the shower when he remembered that he didn't have to go in. After a quick shower, he got dressed and glanced into Maddy's room to make sure she was up for school. When she wasn't in there, Jack figured she was up and ready.

Of course, he was usually at work by now, so he wasn't actually sure what time she left for school. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, Jack could hear two voices, so he knew that Maddy was still home. He cleared the corner and spotted Deb pouring cereal into a bowl and Maddy was turning off the television in the den.

"Good morning, ladies," Jack said with smile and striking a Peter Pan-pose.

"Daddy!" Maddy grinned and tore across the room toward Jack, who picked her up and carried her over to the counter, where Deb had just set down the bowl. She held up the box of cereal for Jack to see and he shook his head. He set Maddy down in the chair and pulled out the chair next to her. Deb turned around and put the box of cereal back in the cabinet and opened another and pulled out a coffee mug.

She poured a fresh cup of coffee and then brought it back around and set it down in front of Jack before giving him a quick kiss and pointing to Maddy's bowl. "Eat," she said with a nod before disappearing around the corner. Jack looked back to Maddy and smiled as he watched her eat breakfast. He took a sip of the coffee and set the mug back down.

"How you feelin' kiddo?" Maddy shrugged and she ate another spoonful of Cheerios. Jack twisted his mug on the countertop and pushed himself up, placing a kiss on the top of Maddy's head as he moved around the counter. He opened the cupboard and pulled out a bowl, then moved to the next cupboard and pulled out the box of cereal.

"So, I was wondering..." Jack said with a grin as he poured some of the cereal into the bowl. "Would it be okay with you if I took you to school his morning, instead of-" He smiled at the look on the seven-year-old's face.

"Really?" Jack laughed and pulled a spoon out of the drawer.

"Really." Maddy nodded and held out her spoon. Jack reached across the counter and they tapped the back of their spoons together, then both went back to their breakfast.

A few minutes later, Deb came back into the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at father and daughter, who were now having a spoonfight. She moved around the counter and reached for their bowls, moving them to the sink and turned back. "You ready to go to school, Mad?" Maddy looked to Jack and then back to Deb.

"Can Daddy take me to school?" Deb glanced up to Jack, who tried to hide his smile behind his coffee mug, then back to Maddy.

"Does he know how to get to your school?" Deb asked with a smirk. Jack made a face and leaned forward.

"That's where they keep the firetrucks, right?" he asked Maddy with a wink.

"Go," she said, pointing to the door. Jack made a face as Maddy got down from her chair and went to find her backpack. Jack picked up his coffee mug and moved around the counter, meeting Deb at the sink. "Not even on vacation for an hour and already a troublemaker," she said with a frown.

"You love me." Deb tried not to smile, but that smile and those baby blues killed her every time.


End file.
